Received this from Sean O'Bierne after skiing with his party in late February 2006:

Hi Tom,

Just a quick line to say thanks for the 2 great mornings with you – we all thoroughly enjoyed it. Even Nick said he could get into this “uphill stuff” !

I have to say Park City and the surrounding area was a real disappointment – we couldn’t believe what a small vertical there was and as for the potential for JH-style backcountry, forget it. You wouldn’t believe how these resorts are sold / hyped to the European market – something between the “most extreme ski-ing you’ve ever seen and the greatest snow on earth”. Lets just say the reality didn’t really match up to the brochure.

We had one day at The Canyons which we all felt would make a great place for a sledging congress – they also have these ridiculous signs saying things like “You Can Die” if you go through one of their gates – there was nothing we found that Nick’s 8 year old son wouldn’t have flown down with his friends.

I think that Nick and Ed had been spoilt with the 2 days with you which were just like going out with a guide in Europe. There seems to be a different understanding of the type of guiding done in the US to Europe, thankfully your approach is much more of the latter but maybe that’s a rarity in the US ?

Despite all the hassles in Utah, we did enjoy the trip and the boys were very impressed with “Tom T”. From my point of view it was great to be back in JH and really good to see / ski with you again despite the odd trip into the undergrowth?